Exploring the Deep

James Cameron heads to deepest spot on Earth

   HONOLULU (AP) -- Director James Cameron has begun his journey to someplace
only two men have gone before -- to the Earth's deepest point.
   The director of "Titanic" and other films is using a specially designed submarine
called "Deepsea Challenger" to dive nearly seven miles. He began his deep dive
at 5:50 a.m. Monday local time, according to Stephanie Montgomery of the National
Geographic Society.
   He plans to spend about six hours exploring and filming the Mariana Trench,
about 200 miles southwest of the Pacific island of Guam.
   Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh, a U.S. Navy captain, are the
only other men to reach the spot. They spent about 20 minutes there during their
1960 dive but couldn't see much after their sub kicked up sand from the sea floor
.
   AP-WF-03-25-12 2004GMT